


What Could Still Be

by write4love8



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, F/M, Family, Neverland (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-10
Updated: 2014-05-10
Packaged: 2018-01-24 03:30:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1590062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/write4love8/pseuds/write4love8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tinker Bell proposes that Regina could see what her life would have been like if she had gone into the tavern that night, Regina agrees. She sees things; she sees what her life could have been like. But, could it still be? Regina/Robin Hood Outlawqueen (OneShot)</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Could Still Be

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, nor any of the characters affiliated with the show.

"Did you ever go back and find him? The man with the lion tattoo?"

"No." 

Tink glanced over at the woman again. Regina's mouth remained agape at the realization that she had just made known. Her life was not only different because she never went in; his life was different too. Glancing down, playing with a small dark rag in her hand, Tink curiously asked the woman, "Did you ever wonder what your life would have been like if you had gone into the tavern?"

Regina's eyes were fixed on the brass ring in her hands. She answered her in a quiet whisper, "Almost every day for the longest time." It was certainly the truth too. She was so afraid to go in, to let go of her fear and anger and to be happy. She always wondered what could have been if she went in that night just as much as she thought about what could have been if Daniel lived. How different would her life have been compared to what she went through and what was happening now. "But I try not to dwell on the idea."

"Why is that?" Tink asked without turning her head.

"Because I could never really imagine my life any different from what is now. I was always destined to be this dark person. Darkness was always inside of me, there was no stopping that fact." Regina tilted her head, to the side and sighed.

"Are you so sure about that?" The young fairy asked her.

Regina cocked her head to towards Tink and replied, "Yes."

Tinkerbell bowed her head down again and thought for a moment. She knew that what Regina claimed was not true; she knew that things would be different, that Regina would no longer possess a dark heart or all of that pain inside of her. After the silent pause, she asked the brunette, "Would you still wish to know?"

"Know what?" Regina looked to her confused.

"Know what your life would have been like."

Regina grinned at her and raised her brow, "If it were possible? … Yes. Yes, I'd like to know." She shook her head and laughed, "But alas, it is not."

"Actually," Tink suddenly sparked a response in Regina, "there may be a way. I have a small amount of pixie dust remaining." The fairy took out a tiny vial barely filled with just a spec of the magical dust. "It can't do much, but I believe it could send our minds into that world. It could bring us to that alternate universe in which you did happen to go into the tavern and meet him."

"You think?" Regina looked at her with some hope in her dark brown eyes.

Tinkerbell nodded her head and smiled. "It can put us into a dream state and show us what you your life would have been like if you had done things differently." Her bright green orbs stared at Regina with curiosity. "What do you say?"

Regina stared at the vial for a moment. She was hesitant to answer, nervous of what might be in store for her if she agreed to this. She glanced back at the ring in her hands and wondered. She couldn't have saved Daniel, but she could have gone into the tavern. She wanted to know what she gave up; she wanted to move passed these thoughts so that she could find her son. Looking back at the fairy sitting beside her, she replied, "Yes. Let's do it."

0-0-0

Regina laid back using her jacket as a pillow. She opened her eyes and stared up at Tink. "You're sure this is going to work?" She was skeptical.

"Yes, Regina," the fairy smiled. "I am actually a much better fairy than you think I am."

Regina raised her brow and watched as the fairy lied down beside her. She replied, "You know I only called you a terrible fairy because I was being bitter. I didn't mean it."

"I know." Tink smiled. "Like you said. You were afraid."

Regina glanced at her and managed a meek grin. She was thankful that Tink would forgive her and that she would be willing to help her through this. After a short silence, she spoke, "Well, let's get on with it."

Tink nodded and took the vial in her hands. She opened it and looked to Regina for some magical assistance. With of wave of her hand, the little dust particles began to rise out of the glass and into the air. The second her magic touched the dust the beautiful green glow overcame it. It swiftly floated over the two women making them calmly drift to sleep and allowing their minds to suddenly travel to this universe.

Regina opened her eyes at the sudden sound coming from the distance. She looked around and noticed that they were no longer in Neverland but in a small cottage back in what she believed to be the Enchanted Forest. She looked around at the quaint home. It was a medium size, not as large as the house she was brought up in but it wasn't a messily hut either.

She walked around for a moment just looking at pictures hung on the walls and the furniture placed around the room. She ran her hand over the fabric of the loveseat placed in front of a small fireplace and smiled. She looked over at the kitchen area and suddenly her eyes widened at what was lying there on the wooden table. It was a very small, handmade cradle for an infant. It was hand carved from wood with a white lining and a soft padding on the inside. In it were a tiny brown teddy bear and a thin white blanket. Regina's brow furrowed at the curious sight. But hearing the sounds again she backed away and began to journey around to find the source of the sound and to find Tinkerbell.

As she walked up the stairs and through a small hallway, the sounds became clearer to her. They were the sounds of a woman moaning like she was in pain. Regina, spotting Tink, walked up to her nervously. "What is going on?"

Tink placed her hands upon the woman's shoulders, raised her brow and replied, "It's what your life would have been like if you had met him."

"What is it?" Regina glanced at the light shining through a small crack in the door where the sound of the woman was coming from.

The fairy looked at the woman apprehensively. She was hesitant to let her pass, but this was what she wanted to see. She wanted to know what her life would have been. So she placed her hand to Regina's back and led her to the door. Pushing it open for her, she watched at the woman suddenly gasped. It was her. Regina stared over at the vision of herself right in front of her.

_Sitting up in the bed and writhing from the pain, she heard a soft whisper in her ear, "You can do this, Regina, I'm right here. I'm not leaving your side." He sat beside her, put his arm around her shoulder and held her hand firmly. She breathed heavily, her head resting in the nape of his neck as he held her. She closed her eyes and sobbed as the pain increased and she let out a loud cry._

_"You're doing wonderful, milady," the midwife said. "Almost time to push."_

_Regina cried out again, "Please just let me push now. Gods, please!"_

_"Just wait a bit longer," the midwife answered._

_"I'm right here," he whispered again as she squeezed his hand tighter and allowed her head to fall to the right and bury into his neck. "We're almost there, love."_

Regina stared with tears in her eyes and holding a hand to her stomach. She stared at the way he held her, the way he'd brush her long dark hair out of her glistening face, at the expression on his face of both nervousness and of joy. This was the first time she had ever seen his face and seen his smile. She stared at herself, dressed in all white, her dark hair flowing down her back like when she was younger and tears streaming down her cheeks.

She stared at their hands; at how tight they were gripping each other's. Regina spotted the lion tattoo on his wrist and felt herself sigh. She had given this up because she had been too frightened to let herself find happiness.

_Regina shut her eyes tightly and let out another loud moan followed by a controlled exhale. His strong arm around her supported all of her weight. She felt him rest his cheek on her head trying to calm her as she breathed. "I can't do this," she cried._

_"You can, Regina. It's almost over," he said to her before kissing the top of her head._

_As he kissed her, she suddenly writhed from a shooting pain and began to yell out. The midwife beckoned for the woman to push now. Regina, gripping his hand tightly, scrunched her face, leaned forward slightly and pushed as hard as she could. He leaned forward with her, a huge smile on his face knowing that in just a few moments they would be welcoming a new life into this world._

_Regina let out a loud cry as she gave her final push and then relaxed back in her husband's arms. Her head fell to the side and rested upon his shoulder. She breathed carefully and kept her eyes shut until hearing the cry of and infant and a whisper in her ear, "It's boy, Regina. We have a son." She began to cry happily with a smiled upon her face. She opened her eyes, let go of her husband's hand and received the crying baby in her arms._

She looked at the way she smiled in this moment, holding the child that could have been hers. She watched her alternate self reach over and caress his cheek before placing a loving kiss upon his lips. Regina felt her heart skip a beat. That kiss, she could tell that it was genuine, filled with love. It was the same love she had once felt for Daniel, that love that she thought she'd never have again.

She watched as the couple stared down at their newborn son with so much joy in their eyes. Regina looked over at the fairy standing beside her. "I think I've seen enough," she said softly with tears in her eyes.

"You haven't seen everything," Tink shook her head.

"What?" Regina was suddenly interrupted by a small squeaky voice.

_"Mommy?"_

Regina glanced down and noticed a small figure peeking in the doorway at the couple. "Who-?" She looked over at Tink, "Is she-?" She watched the fairy nod her head. This only made her heart break more.

_The little girl continued to peek into the room, looking from her mother to her father for permission to enter. She watched her father nod his head and get up from the bed. The giggly girl ran into the room and jumped into her father's arms. He caught her and spun her, carefully placing her upon his right hip. "Hello, beautiful," he then kissed the toddler's nose. "Are you ready to meet your new brother?" The little girl nodded, making her dark curls bounce on her shoulders._

Regina watch as the man carried the little girl over to the bed with a giant smile. She was a beautiful little girl. She had long dark hair identical to the woman sitting on the bed, dark eyes, red lips and rosy-pink cheeks. She wore a little brown-tan dress with a quaint flower-patterned jumper over it.

She watched as the man sat beside the alternate version of her on the bed and set the little girl on his lap. "I could have had this…" Regina whispered softly.

_"Be careful, darling," he warned the little girl who moved closer to Regina to get a view of the little baby in her arms._

_Regina smiled at the little girl who placed her hands on her mother's shoulder and stared down at the now quiet infant. Mother and daughter stared at each other with grins on their faces. Regina leaned in and the little girl lightly rested her forehead upon her mother's before pecking her lips lovingly. As the little girl continued to smile down at the new baby, Regina glanced over to her husband joyfully. They kissed one another tenderly and passionately._

Regina suddenly found her self jolting up and awaking back in Neverland. She looked around and noticed that she remained where they had fallen asleep. Tink soon awoke after her and looked over at the woman with few tears falling from her eyes. "Regina?" She wanted to make sure she was alright.

"I could have had that," Regina said sorrowfully. "A home, a family… true love." She shook her head and buried her face in her hands, "But I chose anger… and now all I have is… nothing… I still have my anger and a small blackened heart. I gave up everything."

"Regina, listen to me," Tink tried getting her attention.

"Those children don't exist because I was so selfish. I could have had those children… That beautiful little girl… And that baby boy. They could have been ours."

"Regina!" Tink raised her voice, causing the woman to jump and look at her. "It not too late to have that."

"What do you mean? Of course it is. I didn't go into the tavern; I never met him."

"Then, Regina. You never met him then. You can still find him. You can still have that; those children can still be possible. It is possible." Tink smiled at her, reached over and took a hold of the woman's hand.

"How?" Regina still seemed skeptical.

"Fate," she squeezed her hand. "Fate will always bring soul mates together. You'll find him again. I just know it."

Regina turned away for a moment and thought. Could it truly be possible? Could she find that happiness? Could she find him? She supposed she would just have to leave it up to fate.

0-0-0

**3 Days Later**

She stopped running through the jungle to catch her breath. Separated from the group in the middle of Neverland, Regina looked around nervously. She stood there listening to the sounds surrounding her. She could hear it coming from behind her. She closed her eyes, afraid that she was not going to live to tomorrow.

"Turn around slowly," a voice warned from behind her. But this wasn't a voice of a boy. It was deep and accented; a man's voice for sure and something she could have sworn she heard before.

Regina turned around as commanded, her hands in the air. She looked at him with wide eyes and whispered softly, "You…" A smiled slowly appeared on her face at the sight. He stood right in front of her holding a bow and arrow at the ready. But she didn't see that. She saw him; she looked into his light eyes and whispered breathlessly, "It's really you."


End file.
